Welcome to Windows 7 Forums. Our forum is dedicated to helping you find support and solutions for any problems regarding your Windows 7 PC be it Dell, HP, Acer, Asus or a custom build. We also provide an extensive Windows 7 tutorial section that covers a wide range of tips and tricks.

For some reasons, I feel it's much easier to see the names of the windows that are open on the taskbar rather than small icons that are tabbed. I think it's much faster and convenient. So why do most people always combine taskbar on Windows 7?

It really depends on how you use Windows 7 for which option may work best for you.

Like me, I usually have so many things opened at once, it's not even funny. For example, 10 tabs in IE9, a few virtual machines, and a few other programs. There just wouldn't be enough room on the taskbar for all of them without them being grouped. "Always combined" is just more convenient for me.

I have been a combiner although since upgrading to multiple monitors and making my taskbar span multiple 24" monitors I find that I have way more real-estate than I am currently using, so not so much crowding any more.

It really depends on how you use Windows 7 for which option may work best for you.

Like me, I usually have so many things opened at once, it's not even funny. For example, 10 tabs in IE9, a few virtual machines, and a few other programs. There just wouldn't be enough room on the taskbar for all of them without them being grouped. "Always combined" is just more convenient for me.

I have a vertical taskbar on the left, set to combine only when taskbar is full with small icons.

It works for me, showing for instance only one IE regardless how many tabs I have open. To see and select a tab, I just need to hover the pointer on top of IE:

I hadn't even given it much thought, I don't have many open at once programs anyway so there isn't a lot on my taskbar. I have a few pinned, the ones I want to get at quick but apart from that I don't take much notice, I think they would probably combine if the taskbar got full though, I can't see that happening much though.

Combine taskbar windowsIn a scenario where I have Firefox fullscreen and explorer-window 1/2 side of monitor. When I alt tab to explorer window I want to have Firefox automatically take the opposite 1/2 side of the monitor for easy viewing pleasure.

General Discussion

Windows Explorer won't combine in TaskbarHello, I'm wondering how I would be able to make my Windows Explorer and Libraries, Documents under Taskbar combine.
It's like the pinned Windows Explorer only opens new instances on the taskbar, crowding it, instead of combining in it.
Is there any way I could make them combine? Like into...

General Discussion

Keep taskbar buttons but don't combine?Hey guys,
Loving windows 7 so far. The only gripe I have is I'd like to find a way to use buttons and not labels on the taskbar without combining - for example, if I'm using multiple firefox browsers, it collapses into the same icon. I'd prefer to have different icons for each different browser...

General Discussion

Setup Taskbar buttons: "Never combine + hide labels" ?When I right click on the Win7 taskbar and choose Properties then I have 3 ways to configure the taskbar buttons in the drop down menu:
- Always combine, hide labels
- Combine when taskbar is full
- Never combine
I miss: "Never combine, hide labels"
Can I achieve this otherwise?

General Discussion

Taskbar Buttons - Combine upon selectionMy default setting for the taskbar buttons is never combine.
However, I use Sticky Notes a lot - that's why its pinned to the taskbar, so it saves all my notes. Therefore, I would like the tab for sticky notes to be like if it were combined, so the tab is smaller, and not like the usual size.
...